Panic erupted at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, on Friday as another fire ripped through a section of the massive religious gathering. This time, the blaze broke out in Sector 18, in around 20 to 22 tents at the Hariharanand Camp on Shankaracharya Marg.
Tents engulfed in flames, with worried devotees rushing to safety. One religious leader was clearly shaken at the situation, and people were seen comforting him. It was a chaotic scene, with people understandably scared.
Thankfully, fire trucks raced to the scene quickly and managed to put out the fire. The good news is that, so far, no one seems to have been killed or injured. A police officer confirmed that the fire, which started in the ISKCON camp and then spread, is now under control. As per reports last came about 20-22 tents were destroyed.
The cause of the fire is yet to be acertained. This is a safety concern, especially because it's not the first time this has happened recently. Just a week ago, on January 30, another fire burned through 15 tents at the Mahakumbh. And before that, on January 19, a huge fire, caused by exploding gas cylinders, broke out in Sector 19. Luckily, no one was hurt in those incidents either, but it's definitely making people nervous.
The Mahakumbh is a gigantic event, drawing millions of people. With so many people living in temporary tents, often cooking with open flames, the risk of fire is always present. These repeated incidents highlight the urgent need for better fire safety measures.
